Foundation: New structure near Al-Aqsa 2/11/2012 – The Al-Aqsa Foundation said the structure would be built on Islamic and Arab ruins. BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A committee within the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem has submitted plans for a new structure adjacent to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage said Saturday. According to the foundation, the 3,700-square-meter structure….

Islamic Jihad: Airstrike wounds fighter in north Gaza 2/11/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Islamic Jihad says a Palestinian resistance fighter was slightly injured late Friday when an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a military site in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip. Abu Ahmad, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad’s military wing, says the Israeli missile targeted the Hitteen base….

Power blackout in Gaza ‘imminent’ 2/11/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The Gaza Energy Authority said Saturday that the sole remaining power plant in the Gaza Strip would run out of fuel by the evening, causing a wide-scale blackout. Energy official Muhammad Abu al-Amreen appealed to Egypt to deliver more fuel to Gaza to avert the crisis. Fuel that reached Gaza….

Soldiers detain 4, injure 16 at protests for hunger-striker 2/11/2012 – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A demonstration in support of hunger-striking prisoner Khader Adnan near an Israeli detention center in the West Bank was shut down by Israeli forces on Saturday, injuring 16 Palestinians including a TV journalist. Soldiers detained two Palestinians and two Israelis at a separate protest against Adnan’s continued detention in….

Abbas arrives in Egypt ahead of Arab League meet 2/11/2012 – CAIRO (Ma’an) — President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Egypt on Saturday, where he will consult an Arab League committee on next steps after exploratory talks with Israeli envoys ended without agreement. Abbas is set to brief the Arab follow-up committee on Sunday, and Fatah Central Committee member Mahmoud Al-Aloul told Ma’an on….

Haniyeh meets Iran FM to discuss Palestine support 2/11/2012 – GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh discussed Iran’s support to Palestine with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Saturday, during the premier’s visit to Tehran. Haniyeh briefed the minister on Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights in Jerusalem, and said Palestinians were determined to resist….

Bahrain detains Palestinian, US observers at protest 2/11/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Bahraini police detained two US rights activists at a protest in the capital city on Saturday, after firing tear gas and stun grenades to block protesters reaching the roundabout at the center of a crushed pro-democracy uprising. Riot police seized Palestinian Huwaida Arraf and Radhika Sainath, both US citizens, who are….

Haniyeh undecided on presidential run 2/11/2012 – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – Premier of the Hamas-run government Ismail Haniyeh said Friday that it is too early to talk about standing for presidential elections as Hamas has yet to decide if it will participate. But Haniyeh said he had no intention to retire anytime soon:”I am not a football player to retire,” he….

Hebron family hospitalized after exposed to toxic fumes 2/11/2012 – HEBRON (Ma’an) – Seven members of a Palestinian family from the town of Idhna west of Hebron were evacuated to hospital Saturday after they were poisoned by carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide as a result of an open stove. Nasser Qabaja, an official in the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron, confirmed that ambulances….

Egypt army says anti-aircraft missiles seized in Sinai 2/11/2012 – El-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) — Egyptian security forces seized a stash of bombs Saturday in the Sinai peninsula, officials said. Among the weapons were a number of anti-aircraft missiles, security sources said. Sappers headed to the site in northern Sinai and began dismantling the missiles and several tons of TNT. The weapons were suspected of….

Two killed in north Lebanon in clashes over Syria 2/11/2012 – TRIPOLI, Lebanon (Reuters) — Two people were killed and at least eight wounded in street battles in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli on Saturday, a security source said, during a second day of clashes between supporters and opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The coastal city is dominated by Sunni Muslims who support the….

A year since Mubarak ousted, strike call reveals divisions 2/11/2012 – CAIRO (Reuters) — Egypt marked the first anniversary of the popular overthrow of Hosni Mubarak on Saturday, but a poor turnout for a strike called by activists to protest the slow pace of change from military rule laid bare the country’s deep divisions. The general strike, called to press demands for the immediate departure….

Syria forces shell Homs, Russia to oppose UN move 2/11/2012 – AMMAN, Jordan (Reuters) — Syrian forces bombarded districts of Homs city on Saturday in a campaign to crush a revolt against President Bashar Assad, whose ally Russia said it would not support an Arab peace plan circulating at the United Nations. Activists said seven people were killed in the latest attacks in a week-long government siege….

Bedouin release Koreans held in Egypt’s Sinai 2/11/2012 – CAIRO (Reuters) — Three Korean women being held in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula by Bedouin tribesmen were released on Saturday together with their Egyptian translator following negotiations with the authorities, the governor of South Sinai province said. The Bedouin had snatched the three Koreans from a tour bus traveling near the St Catherine monastery in….

Hebron: At least 10 children arrested by Israeli military in one week 2/11/2012 – International Solidarity Movement – By Satu Gustafsson, 11 February 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank – The extreme Golani Unit of the Israeli military is escalating its arrests of Palestinian children in Al Khalil (Hebron), targeting boys between the ages of 12 to15 years old with at least 10 reported cases of child arrests made just in the span of….

Federal National Council marks 40th birthday today The National 11 Feb 2012 – Four decades ago, under the orders of the country’s beloved first President, Sheikh Zayed, the Federal National Council was born. The work the FNC has since achieved is testament to the founder’s wisdom.

UN: Syrian officials should be sent to ICC Jerusalem Post 10 Feb 2012 – Pillay to address General Assembly session; World Health Organization reports “massive increase” in wounded in Syria; UN gives up on keeping tally of Syrian dead due to high level of violence.

Hunger-striking prisoner not backing down Uruknet February 11, 2012 – …In a letter from Zeiv Hospital where he is receiving treatment, Adnan said he only drinks water and that he lost 42 kilograms. “I started my battle offering my soul to God almighty and adamant to go ahead until righteousness triumphs over falsehood. I am defending my dignity and my people’s dignity…

Hebron: At least 10 children arrested by Israeli military in one week Uruknet February 11, 2012 – The extreme Golani Unit of the Israeli military is escalating its arrests of Palestinian children in Al Khalil (Hebron), targeting boys between the ages of 12 to15 years old with at least 10 reported cases of child arrests made just in the span of one week. On February 2, 2012, 12-year old…

US Ambassador: ‘Intervention not an option in Syria’ Uruknet February 11, 2012 – In his first foreign interview since leaving the country, Ford told FRANCE 24’s Arabic channel the US were still seeking a “peaceful political” solution. Ford said military intervention was not an option and denied suggestions that his country’s refusal to step in was encouraging Assad to increase the violence. “We are not…

Ongoing atrocities by NATO-installed Libyan regime Uruknet February 12, 2012 – The Libyan Transitional National Council (TNC) regime installed by the US-NATO intervention in Libya last year is responsible for ongoing atrocities, particularly against black-skinned Libyans, detainees and other alleged supporters of the previous Gaddafi government. One of the most recent incidents occurred on February 6 at a former naval base in the…

Zahhar slams Doha deal for Abbas to head unity govt Uruknet February 11, 2011 — Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahhar on Saturday denounced his party leader’s agreement to accept President Mahmoud Abbas as prime minister in a temporary government to unite Gaza and the West Bank. Hamas chief-in-exile Khalid Mashaal penned an agreement with Abbas in Qatar on Monday for the Fatah leader to head the unity administration….

Palestinian Intellectuals to Syrian Regime: Not in Our Name! (English trans) Uruknet February 10, 2012 – It is our honor, as Palestinian writers and signatories to this statement, to request as a group to be inducted into the Syrian Writers Union, which has been recently established by the free Syrian writers and intellectuals who stand with the people as they climb the ladder of freedom which has been…

012 (Warning: Graphic Videos) Uruknet February 10, 2012 – The number of confirmed demonstrations this Friday rose to 655, the province of Idlib had the most demonstrations where 148 demonstrations occured, followed by Aleppo where, for the first time, 109 demonstrations took place, this was followed by Hama where 84 demonstrations took place. In Daraa 61 demonstrations were staged followed by…

In photos: On hunger strike in Gaza Uruknet February 10, 2012 – A number of Gazans have joined Khader Adnan’s hunger strike to protest the inhumane conditions that Palestinian political prisoners face in Israeli jails. Israel often holds Palestinians in administrative detention without charges, depriving detainees of their right to due process. Adnan has been on hunger strike for 55 days and is currently…

Scenes from the class struggle in Greece Uruknet February 10, 2012 – This loan shark says, make them pay, beat them until they pay everything, but don’t beat them so hard that they can’t keep paying. That loan shark says, if you don’t make an example of this one, the others won’t respect you. Beat them to death. And it is between these two…

Torture and Plundering: Libya’s Militias Run Wild Uruknet February 10, 2012 – It is a story told with alarming regularity in Libya. Two rival militias, both nominally allies of the National Transitional Council (NTC) engage in an intense gunbattle. When the guns finally fall silent and one of the factions has taken a base belong to the other, they proceed to take everything that…

Ethnic Cleansing in a Zionist Fairyland Uruknet February 10, 2012 – ‘De-Arabizing the history of Palestine is another crucial element of the ethnic cleansing. 1500 years of Arab and Muslim rule and culture in Palestine are trivialized, evidence of its existence is being destroyed and all this is done to make the absurd connection between the ancient Hebrew civilization and today’s Israel. The…

012 Uruknet February 10, 2012. Chaos and violence continue, implications of Iraq are noted in a series by the New York Times, Nouri faces rumors of involvement with the US CIA, veterans suicides get some attention, banks profit off veterans, and more… When Nouri returned to Iraq, his war against Iraqiya and Sunnis became more obvious and he…

Murdering Khader Adnan Uruknet February 10, 2012 – ….On February 8, Amnesty International said Israel uses “administrative detention to lock up Palestinian activists without charge, violating their rights to a fair trial.” AI said “Israel must release or try Palestinian detainee on prolonged hunger strike.” After examining him on January 29 (his only medical contact since arrested), Physicians for Human…

While You Were Sleeping, Again Uruknet February 10, 2012 – Another early morning in Baba Amr, another late night here. My plan is to write a simple post from a few reports on the day’s events in Homs, the fifth consecutive day of shelling in Baba Amr. Keeping an eye on Skype and Twitter and my ears tuned in to Omar Shakir’s…

Khader Adnan: A leader in the struggle for Palestinian prisoner’s dignity Uruknet February 10, 2012 – Khader Adnan has quickly become the focal point and symbolic face of the inherent injustice thousands of Palestinians face on a daily basis within the Israeli penal system. Entering into the 55th day of his hunger strike, Adnan is protesting the Israeli Occupation Authority’s (IOA) illegal application of administrative detention and its…

Unequal neighbors: Off the grid in Area C Uruknet February 10, 2012 – Pylons tower over South Hebron Hills village Um al-Kher, hoisting electricity cables that bisect the agricultural community. But like hundreds of their Palestinian neighbors, this tiny hamlet has no access to the power grid. The cables running above the heads of the 150 Um al-Kher residents supply a chicken farm set up…

Syria government and rivals trade blame for Aleppo blasts ? Uruknet February 10, 2012 – Two suicide car bombers struck Syrian security compounds in Aleppo on Friday, killing 28 people, Syrian officials said, bringing significant violence for the first time to a major city that has largely stood by President Bashar Assad in the 11-month-old uprising against his rule. State media touted the blasts as proof that…

Petition to save Palestinian hunger striker Uruknet February 10, 2012 – An online petition has called for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to put pressure on Israel to release a Palestinian detainee who has been on hunger strike for 56 days. Khader Adnan is said to be close to death after refusing to eat shortly after his arrest in December….

Bahraini police fire teargas at protesters Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 Bahraini police fired teargas and stun grenades to stop mainly Shi’ite protesters trying to march towards the roundabout at the centre of a failed pro-democracy uprising last year and detained two American rights activists who came…

Inside the making of the Bali bombs Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 An Indonesian militant charged in the 2002 Bali terrorist attacks told interrogators he spent weeks holed up in a rented house, painstakingly building a half-ton bomb using household items including a rice ladle, a grocer’s scale…

Iraqi dissidents form new opposition Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 A group of political dissidents created a new Iraqi opposition party Saturday, vowing to act as a check on the government as the prime minister warned that a push for regional autonomy could tear the country…

New clashes in eastern Saudi Arabia kill one Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 Saudi police exchanged fire with “masked gunmen” at a protest in the Shiite-populated east, killing one of them, state reported early Saturday, in the second fatal clashes in the oil-rich region in 24 hours.

Weapons moving from Iraq to Syria: Iraq official Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 Jihadists are moving from Iraq to Syria and arms are also sent across the border to opponents of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime, Iraq’s deputy interior minister said Saturday.

Hamas will never recognize Israel: Haniyeh Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 Hamas “will never recognize Israel,” Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Saturday in a speech in Iran that is likely to complicate Palestinian efforts to form a unity government in the teeth of opposition from the…

Iran: 30 million lose email access Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 An Iranian news agency reports that more than 30 million people in the country have lost access to foreign email services such as Gmail, Yahoo mail and Hotmail.

Bahrain rights activist says 2 Americans detained Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 A Bahraini rights activists says two Americans have been detained as part of security crackdowns before the first anniversary of the anti-government uprising in the Gulf kingdom.

Israel anti-missile system tested Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 Israel and the United States recently carried out a successful test of the Arrow anti-missile system over the Mediterranean Sea, the Israeli Defence Ministry said Friday.

Mikati: France to reduce UNIFIL presence in Lebanon Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 Prime Minister Najib Mikati, on an official visit to France, said Saturday Paris would reduce its peacekeeper numbers in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and voiced optimism that the government crisis back home…

Mikati visits Hariri in Paris Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 Prime Minister Najib Mikati, on an official visit to France, made a brief stop Saturday to check on the health of his predecessor, head of the Future Movement MP Saad Hariri, who is the French capital…

Police: Journalist couple killed in Bangladesh Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 Two television journalists in Bangladesh found stabbed to death Saturday in their home in the capital of Dhaka, police said. The motive of the killings is unknown.

Syrian opposition expects Arab recognition Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 The opposition Syrian National Council, an umbrella body grouping parties in revolt against Bashar al-Assad’s regime, said Friday it expects to be recognised within days by several Arab states.

Albanian house speaker to visit Lebanon Daily Star 11 Feb 2012 Albanian Parliament Speaker Josefina Topalli will arrive in Lebanon Monday on a three-day official visit during which she will meet with the country’s top officials.

IOA mobilizes forces near Aqsa mosque PIC – Hundreds of Israeli occupation soldiers and policemen were deployed since the early morning hours of Saturday in the vicinity of the holy Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

Jihad: No calm if any harm befalls Adnan PIC – Secretary general of the Islamic Jihad movement Dr. Ramadan Shallah has warned that his movement would not be committed to calm with Israel in the event any harm was done to Sheikh Khader Adnan.

Information Overload Intifada-Palestine: 11 Feb 2012 – Paul Balles Six months ago, I wrote about Alvin Toffler’s book Future Shock , which looks at a world with “too much change in too short a period of time”. In Toffler’s view, change overwhelms people, leaving them disconnected and suffering from… more

Iran War: What Is AIPAC Planning? Intifada-Palestine: 11 Feb 2012 – So here’s a theory. Netanyahu and his camp followers here do not really want a war now. They just want it understood that they can dictate whether there is one or not. And when. In other words, they want to show… more

Special interest money is killing US democracy Intifada-Palestine: 11 Feb 2012 – by Jamal Kanj WHEN Newt Gingrich called Palestinians “invented people” last December, most did not realise it was his deep pockets, not his brain lateralisation, which transmitted the claptrap through his mouth. Gingrich’s political career highlights include helping write the “contract… more

Hamas Premier, Ismail Haniya, Visits Iran New York Times 11 Feb 2012 – Amid reports of tensions over Syria, Hamas appeared to be trying to keep Prime Minister Ismail Haniya’s visit low-key, while Iran’s news media played it up.

Ongoing atrocities by NATO-installed Libyan regime WSWS – The war crimes and abuses being perpetrated by the TNC regime further expose the claims that the NATO allies intervened for humanitarian purposes to rescue the Libyan people from violent repression.

Husband of ‘NYT’ Jerusalem correspondent calls for attack on Iran Mondoweiss – When does the Caesar’s wife standard kick in? When do warlike statements from Israeli Hirsh Goodman, who is married to Isabel Kershner, a New York Times Jerusalem correspondent, become too much for the Times to bear? When do those pronouncements affect the paper’s reputation for straightforward…

Adelson dumps Gingrich and Santorum’s star is rising Mondoweiss – News spreads fast. Bloomberg is reporting Adelson isn’t planning on floating Gingrich anymore which leaves him high and dry and scrambling for cash. Five losing contests later, Gingrich and Winning Our Future, an outside political action committee supporting him, are almost silent on television airwaves, offering…

Moscow and the formation of The New World System Voltaire Network 11 Feb 2012 – Imad Fawzi Shueibi examines the reasons and consequences of Russia’s recent position at the Security Council. Moscow’s backing of Syria is not a posture but the result of an in-depth analysis of the shifting global balance of power. The current crisis will crystallize into a new…

Al-Qaeda refashioned by the UK Voltaire Network 11 Feb 2012 – Abu Qatada, the man who had been dubbed by the Anglo-American media as “Osama ben Laden’s ambassador in Europe”, and who is on the list of individuals associated with Al-Qaeda established by the UN Security Council Committee (resolutions 1267/1898), has just been released on parole by…

Faced with competition from the SCO, will NATO choose diplomacy or arms? Voltaire Network 10 Feb 2012 – While the likelihood of a conventional war against Syria has been swept aside by the Russian and Chinese double veto, Westerners have been left with no alternative plan. Above all, they do not know how to handle the conflict pitting them against the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (…

2 Palestinians Arrested During Beit Ommar Demonstration in Solidarity with Khader Adnan Palestine Solidarity Project 11 Feb 2012 – On Saturday, February 11, 2012 the popular committee of Beit Ommar and Palestine Solidarity Project held their weekly demonstration against the occupation and settlements. Residents of Beit Ommar, accompanied by Israeli and international solidarity activists, marched to an area of Beit Ommar’s agricultural land near the…

Arabs to discuss Syria escalation BBC 11 Feb 2012 – Arab foreign ministers are to meet in Cairo to decide their next move after the failure of a UN resolution on Syria, as violence continues in Homs.

Rock musician Cat Power cancels Israel show, citing Israeli-Palestinian conflict US Campaign to End the Occupation 11 Feb 2012 – By Associated Press Friday, February 10, 7:04 AM JERUSALEM — American musician Cat Power has canceled her show in Israel, joining a list of artists shunning the country over its conflict with the Palestinians. Charlyn Marie Marshall, better known by her stage name Cat Power, was…

Articles

Old Israel and the new Middle East Maged Kayali, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) 2/10/2012 Two opposing phenomena are interacting in the Middle East; the first is Israel, moving back to the past with its policies, laws and ideology, looking ever more like a “typical” Middle East country: closed, exclusive, violent, and culturally and religiously rigid. The second phenomenon is the effort made by some Arab countries to break away from the stereotypical image assigned to them for decades. They are shedding their unhappy past to move into a positive future, embracing modernity and democracy. That is the aim of the popular revolutions, despite the complexities and difficulties being faced. Israel has always been promoted as an oasis of modernity, democracy and secularism in the “desert” of the old, authoritarian and religious Middle East. Now it is on the brink of changes which may affect its nature and beliefs about itself and its image in the world. The influence of rabbis and religious and far-right political parties is increasing; the state and society are both moving more towards a more religious outlook (58% of the Jewish population in Israel consider themselves to be religious), to the extent that many Israeli intellectuals and analysts call Israel the State of “Haredim” (religious extremists) and warn about establishing an “Iran here”. The rabbis’ control over Israel is similar to that of the ayatollahs’ over Iran. About that, Eitan Haber warns, “A few years ago, I wrote in Yedioth Ahranoth something along the lines of, ‘the Arabs have become Jews – the Jews have become Arabs’.” In the same newspaper, economist Professor Dan Ben-David said, “If Israel becomes a third world country, that will be the end of the whole project.” What is interesting is that religious extremism in Israel is synonymous with “National” Jewish extremism, considering Judaism to be a nationality, which means that these two extremes complement one another. The explanation is that there are common roots between the two extremist views for Israelis, as both were founded on religious myths of the “promised land”, “God’s chosen people” and “Greater Israel”. What also draws these two currents to each is that they both revolve around the Jewish self, which reveals racism against the “Other”, the gentiles, particularly the Palestinians who are the indigenous people of the land on which the state of Israel was founded. more..e-mail

Deep set targets Khaled Amayreh in Ramallah, Al-Ahram Weekly 2/9/2012While handshakes remain fresh on the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation track, economic conditions could soon derail the Palestinian Authority entirely. Although he is more than 65 years old and was busy as a manager of an economic firm, the Israeli army recalled Shay Avital, a retired general who left the army more than a decade ago. This unusual move in Israeli military tradition is seen as vital as army leaders believe Avital would guarantee the success of a new army leadership unit, known as Depth Corp, in charge of special military operations deep in the Arab world. Fast-paced developments in the Arab world in the wake of revolutions for democratic change will result in numerous threats for Israel, which requires it to prepare plans to face these threats. This includes preparing for operations in the heart of the Arab world. Military leaders believe that despite Avital’s advanced age he is the best qualified to head Depth Corp because of his unique expertise. During his service in the army, Avital led many elite units in the army specialising in unique operations in the heart of the Arab world, most prominently the Sayeret Matkal unit that specialised in assassination and kidnapping operations. The formation of Depth Corp is part of restructuring the Israeli army to ensure Israel’s freedom of manoeuvre when necessary. The main assumption for Israeli strategists is that the Arab Spring will bring with it immense challenges to Israel’s security, which in time could evolve into existential threats. Israeli military leaders fear that the countries where revolutions for democratic change have taken place could become bases for military operations against Israeli targets. Hence, decision-makers in Israel believe they need to be prepared to carry out operations deep inside states that are far away from Palestine’s borders, such as Yemen and Iraq. more..e-mail

Ethiopian Israelis face increasing discrimination Elena Viola, Alternative Information Center 2/9/2012Racism is on the rise in Israel and it is sometimes directed towards Ethiopian Jews, citizens of the state who face discrimination and rejection on the basis of their skin color. 1500 Israelis of Ethiopian origin demonstrated recently against Israeli racism and discrimination outside the parliament in Jerusalem. The protest took place after some landlords in Kiryat Malachi, which is home to a large Ethiopian Israeli population, refused to rent to Ethiopian Jews. “Israelis don’t want to have Ethiopians around,” says Shoko, an Israeli woman who provides counselling to Ethiopian youths in Haifa. “Their excuse to not rent flats to Ethiopians is that they are noisy…and they eat injera, which is a ‘stinky’ bread, and its strong smell spreads all over the neighbouring area. In reality, Israelis don’t like Ethiopians because they are black…” Chava Weiss, fundraiser for the Israeli Association of the Ethiopian Jewish (IAEJ), states that, “this is a case of pure unfortunate discrimination and stereotyping,..” There are approximately 130,000 Ethiopian Jews living in Israel. Citizens of the state, they entered the country during two covert Israeli military operations – in 1984 and 1991 – aimed to bring Ethiopians to Israel to bolster the Jewish majority “But even if the largest part of Ethiopians living here is Jewish, some rabbis and ordinary Israeli residents discriminate them because their Jewish roots are not alike the ones of the Eastern European Jews,” Muju, a young Ethiopian man who lives in Jerusalem, explains. Ethiopians observe some different holy festivities and don’t observe the Talmud. Muju adds that, “some Jewish people even claim that we Ethiopians made up our Jewry just to enter Israel.” more..e-mail